Morning Open Thread is a daily, copyrighted post from a host of editors and guest writers. We support our community, invite and share ideas, and encourage thoughtful,respectful dialogue in an open forum. I’ve come to think of this post as one where you come for the music and stay for the conversation—so feel free to drop a note. The diarist gets to sleep in if he so desires and can show up long after the post is published. So you know….
In my humble opinion, I feel that the late Michael Jackson’s music video “Thriller” was by far one the 5 best music videos ever to be recorded and released on music television venue. The music video, also known as “Michael Jackson's Thriller”, for "Thriller" premiered on MTV on December 2, 1983.
The video is credited for transforming music videos into a serious art form, breaking down racial barriers in popular entertainment, and popularizing the making-of documentary format. Many elements have had a lasting impact on popular culture, such as the zombie dance and Jackson’s red jacket, designed by Landis' wife Deborah Nadoolman.
en.wikipedia.org/.
SNIP
Jackson contacted Landis after seeing his film “An American Werewolf In London” (1981). The pair conceived a short film with a budget much larger than previous music videos. It was filmed at the Palace Theater in downtown Los Angeles in, the junction of Union Pacific Avenue and South Calzona Street in East Los Angelese, and the Angeleno Heights neighborhood at 1345Carroll Ave.. It was accompanied by a making-of documentary, “Making Michael Jackson's Thriller”, produced to sell to television networks.
“Michael Jackson's Thriller” was launched to great anticipation and played regularly on MTV. It doubled the sales of the ”Thriller” album, helping it become the best selling album in history, and sold over a million copies on VHS, becoming the bestselling videotape at the time. It is credited for transforming music videos into a serious art form, breaking down racial barriers in popular entertainment, and popularizing the making-of documentary. The success transformed Jackson into a dominant force in global Pop Culture.
en.wikipedia.org/...
Truth be told, I really wish I could have been an extra in this video dancing and/or playing the part of one of the Zombies in this production when it came out… It looks like it would have been a blast to have been a part of this ground breaking musical production.
(I bet you all didn’t know I was “into” performance theater arts at one time in my young life: Did you? That’s a story for another time.)
And here now, without further ado, and in its’ entirety, “Thriller”, the video:
Be safe out there, and keep dancing my silly MOTley ghouls…….All Hallows Eve, is but around the corner.